The question carried a trace of uncertainty that even he had not noticed. He had always believed the Six Paths of Pain represented the limits of the Rinnegan's power, that they were synonymous with destruction. But what he had witnessed today had completely overturned that belief.
"Nagato in his prime would be even more terrifying." Black Zetsu's answer was unequivocal. "Don't forget, Nagato is a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, with immense vitality and chakra far beyond those of ordinary people. Madara gave him those eyes precisely because his unique 'vessel' could withstand the Rinnegan's enormous demands. The Nagato of today suffered physical damage in his early battles, and maintaining the Six Paths of Pain for all these years has left his power far below what it once was."
Black Zetsu's words brimmed with confidence in Madara's plan and faith in Nagato's bloodline. He paused, then changed tack, his voice growing darker. "But today's enemy is different. I suspect he isn't from our world at all. The texture of that chakra... reminded me of some very ancient legends."
"What legends?"
"Legends about the moon," Black Zetsu said slowly.
"According to legend, the descendants of the Sage of Six Paths split into two branches. One remained on the ground-the Uchiha and the Senju. The other went to the moon to guard the sealed husk of the Ten-Tails. If I'm not mistaken, this mysterious enemy belongs to that lineage on the moon. Perhaps they've come to reclaim the Rinnegan, or perhaps they've come to eliminate us heirs 'on the ground.'"
"The Lunar Lineage..." Obito mulled over the unfamiliar term. Rather than clearing up, the mystery in his mind only deepened.
"And I noticed a very interesting detail."
A hint of mockery crept into Black Zetsu's tone. "This fellow seems arrogant and domineering,